Harley Flanagan: Wired For Chaos

A film about the extraordinary life of a Punk Rock/Hardcore legend and the founder of the Cro-Mags, who burst onto the Punk scene in 1979 at age 11.

Harley Flanagan is a Punk Rock/ Hardcore legend, known as the father of New York City Hardcore and the founder of the pioneering band Cro-Mags. He has had a cult following since the 80s. While Harley’s journey as a musician is certainly explored, Wired for Chaos centers on the lasting effects of neglect, sexual abuse, drugs, violence and the integration of PTSD into his present-day life. This is a film about an extraordinary life, and the survival of astounding circumstances against crazy odds. Harley was a child prodigy musician, forced to raise himself in the very adult world of Rock ‘n Roll. He was born to a Warhol Factory “it” girl, enmeshed in the Lower East Side artist sub-culture of the late 70s and 80s, surrounded by “sex, drugs and rock n roll.” Harley was brought to the Lower East Side as a child and left to fend for himself, eventually living in squats in Alphabet City, stealing food and battling local gangs to survive. He descended into the depths of Hell with drugs and violence (as victim and later perpetrator), simultaneously achieving Punk Rock legend status at iconic venues like CBGBs and Max’s Kansas City, first as an 11-year-old drummer in the Stimulators and later touring the world as founder and frontman of the groundbreaking NYC Hardcore/ crossover group Cro-Mags. As Harley visits his friends throughout the film (Flea, Henry Rollins, Roger Miret, Keith Morris, Daryl Jennifer, Michael Imperioli, Matt Sera, Jocko Willink, Renzo Gracie the late Anthony Bourdain – to name a few), a layered, complex portrait of life in the late 70s/80s Punk and Hardcore scene set in the violent, drug-filled Lower East side emerges.

Bonus Materials
Cro-Mags Live at Hellfest 2022 Flea: Extended Conversation Anthony Bourdain: Extended Scene Henry Rollins on Hardcore Michael Imperioli on Harley Drawn to Hardcore Lamont: The Subway Cellist 40-minute interview with Carlos Ramirez

Cast & Crew
Actors: Harley Flanagan Anthony Bourdain Michael Imperioli Erica James Bradel Flea Glen E. Friedman Scott Ian Ice-T Glenn Danzig Laura Lee Flanagan Sacha Jenkins Nefertiti Jones
Director: Rex Miller